UND to cut women's hockey

[gfhockey]

It's most bang for the buck sport to cut

[Air Force One]

8 minutes ago, Wildfan said:

Faison says revenue has gone up in his presser as well. But I know i have heard many people state they will no longer donate to the university, now if that is true then the amount of revenue growth is alot smaller than what it would be if they donated, but it is also possible these are folks who will never donate anyway and just want to have a excuse.

In my experience, those that said they wouldn't donate to the university if the nickname was changed, 1.  Were not alumi  2. Were not giving anything in the first place.  Typically they were men's hockey fans and general fans of the sports teams that didn't even have season tickets.

[The Sicatoka]

25 minutes ago, WiSioux said:

I would guess beyond men's hockey no other sport at UND has/will produce Olympians.

Meet Fritz Pollard Jr. -- UND FB tailback, 1936 Olympics bronze medalist in the 110 hurdles. 

[Wildfan]

2 minutes ago, Air Force One said:

In my experience, those that said they wouldn't donate to the university if the nickname was changed, 1.  Were not alumi  2. Were not giving anything in the first place.  Typically they were men's hockey fans and general fans of the sports teams that didn't even have season tickets.

I have a feeling you are right. But it isn't uncommon to see in comments and hear around sporting events and town. 

[MissSioux85]

1 hour ago, cberkas said:

The ice is out of the main arena.

1 hour ago, UND-1 said:

Its an old picture meant to deceive.  

FYI, I received confirmation via email from someone at The Ralph that the ice is still in the main rink.

Gracen Hirschy did not lie/deceive

 

[UNDBIZ]

2 minutes ago, Air Force One said:

In my experience, those that said they wouldn't donate to the university if the nickname was changed, 1.  Were not alumi  2. Were not giving anything in the first place.  Typically they were men's hockey fans and general fans of the sports teams that didn't even have season tickets.

I'll admit when the nickname retirement was first announced, I believe around 2010, I said to my friends that I would never donate to the university if the nickname was changed.  That didn't last long.

[MoSiouxFan]

This needed to be done; I just didn't know if Pres. Kennedy would have the courage to do it.  We're way behind in coaches salaries for some of the major sports and maybe now we can start to catch up and keep the coaches that have contributed to 4 conference championships and a natty over the last year.

[Cratter]

Will there be any money left over to "invest" with the cutting of these two sports? Or is it okay now we can pay our bills?

[mksioux]

19 minutes ago, UNDBIZ said:

SIXTY THOUSAND DOLLARS per student athlete to keep WIH!

I can't repeat that number often enough.

Hopefully the right people at UND repeat this enough so that the public knows just how much money this sport loses on an annual basis. They should specifically compare the numbers of women's hockey to other sports to show the disparity.  Make sure that information makes it way into the papers and on the radio. This is a time to be factual, not polite.   I think many have a general idea that women's hockey might lose money, but most people don't understand just how much it loses compared to other sports.   

[The Sicatoka]

1 minute ago, Cratter said:

Will there be any money left over to "invest" with the cutting of these two sports? Or is it okay now we can pay our bills?

My numbers say the cut about $2.3 million in operating expenses. They only had to cut $1.3 per the State. 

I suspect (and Faison said as much) that the difference will be reallocated to meet other needs and commitments in the department. 

[FargoBison]

9 minutes ago, homer said:

A sport that gets 209 people to a playoff game is hardly big time.  I'd say cutting a sport that costs nearly $2 million a year and investing a portion of that back into sports that people support shows an attempt to be big time.  

209, playoff. 

Yep....Just look at MBB. 1.4 million people watched UND-AZ in the big dance....But I guess women's hockey and its 209 fans deserve a bigger budget because of Olympians or something like that. 

Rival fan here but your admin made a very wise move today, a decision that I doubt previous admins would have had the guts to make. 

[gfhockey]

More weekends free for the Ralph equals more $$$ for them from events concerts high school hockey tourney etc

[Wildfan]

2 minutes ago, mksioux said:

Hopefully the right people at UND repeat this enough so that the public knows just how much money this sport loses on an annual basis. They should specifically compare the numbers of women's hockey to other sports to show the disparity.  Make sure that information makes it way into the papers and on the radio. This is a time to be factual, not polite.   I think many have a general idea that women's hockey might lose money, but most people don't understand just how much it loses compared to other sports.   

They should've announced numbers at the press conference, it was the time to do it, not in individual one on one interviews. 

[mksioux]

1 minute ago, Wildfan said:

They should've announced numbers at the press conference, it was the time to do it, not in individual one on one interviews. 

I agree with you.

[NoiseInsideMyHead]

Just now, Wildfan said:

They should've announced numbers at the press conference, it was the time to do it, not in individual one on one interviews. 

Counterpoint: it's not customary to beat up on the deceased at a funeral. Rubbing salt in the wound with horrifying figures - however objective - would have been bad form.

[Sioux>Bison]

3 minutes ago, gfhockey said:

More weekends free for the Ralph equals more $$$ for them from events concerts high school hockey tourney etc

It may be possible that more people attend youth hockey tournaments at the Ralph than our own women's college hockey team. Heck even Minot State prob has as many fans.... this is why it had to be cut

[crb1]

Whether we agree or disagree about the move to eliminate these programs. Do you think it could have been handled a little bit better? If they were targeting these sports they should have met and made the coaches aware before announcing it. If they had the time to let the WCHA know they certainly could have at least let the coaches know. Having a recruit here for the women's team is just down right embarrassing. 

[61hawk]

49 minutes ago, UNDColorado said:

Womens hockey is a money pit and there is no way around it. I am happy UND showed some balls and cut sports that bleed the athletic department dry. Now we can focus on funding more popular sports at higher levels.

Tony wasn't a Finance major while at UND.  There's a simple solution, one of these NHL superstars just needs to cut a check to UND.

[sioux24/7]

4 minutes ago, crb1 said:

Whether we agree or disagree about the move to eliminate these programs. Do you think it could have been handled a little bit better. If they were targeting these sports they should have meet and made the coaches aware before announcing it. If they had the time to let the WCHA know they certainly could have at least let the coaches know. Having a recruit here for the women's team is just down right embarrassing. 

I have to imagine the women's hockey coaches had an idea prior. I don't know for sure but you would think. 

[Wildfan]

5 minutes ago, crb1 said:

Whether we agree or disagree about the move to eliminate these programs. Do you think it could have been handled a little bit better. If they were targeting these sports they should have meet and made the coaches aware before announcing it. If they had the time to let the WCHA know they certainly could have at least let the coaches know. Having a recruit here for the women's team is just down right embarrassing. 

Timing could've been better, that is one aspect that should've been seen. Delay the announcement or cancel the recruits travel. 

[Siouxper Kev]

1 minute ago, sioux24/7 said:

I have to imagine the women's hockey coaches had an idea prior. I don't know for sure but you would think. 

The writing was on the ice.  Or was it in the stands hidden under all those empty seats. 

[MafiaMan]

2 hours ago, squirtcoach said:

I am hearing the women found out during practice, with a high level recruit visiting.  This was handled about as badly as could be.  I had a very low opinion of Kennedy when he was a Minnesota representative.  Somehow he has lowered that opinion.

just trying to maintain civility.

I'm guessing if Mark Kennedy was a Democrat, you'd be all in favor of this decision.  

[gfhockey]

Why was a high level recruit here when idalski wasn't here?

[squirtcoach]

23 minutes ago, MafiaMan said:

I'm guessing if Mark Kennedy was a Democrat, you'd be all in favor of this decision.  

You want to make this political, huh MM?

[jk]

Judging by the unanimity of the comments here, I guess I'm in the minority.  I'm not close to the details, but from a distance, the state appears to be incredibly poorly managed.  In the 10 years since the oil revolution began, the state is unquestionably massively more wealthy than it had been. How they managed to turn that into a higher education funding crisis is beyond me.  

Hockey is the school's flagship sport.  It should have men's and women's teams.  In addition, the school is the state's flagship university, and should have a full roster of sports.  That they are not investing in the education system after having a mountain of money dropped on their heads is embarrassing.